Goody Two Shoes (Invertary Book 2) (36 page)

“Take me upstairs, Josh,” she whispered.

Josh felt something within him shift. He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes briefly. Everything fell into place and nothing had ever felt more right.

He grasped her hips and placed her on her bare feet before him. He brushed her lips gently with his and then stroked his hand through her hair. Her hand folded into his. Without saying another word, Josh led her out of the living room and up the stairs to her bedroom.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

There was no doubt in Caroline’s mind that she had fallen in love with Josh McInnes. She wasn’t sure when it had happened, but as she’d looked into his eyes, she’d known without a doubt that she had. She’d nodded to herself as she accepted the knowledge as truth. This man. Her man. She’d waited her whole life to love someone completely. And he was the one.

She watched his back muscles move as he led her up the stairs. His jeans clung to his backside, making her mouth water at the sight. She had never wanted anything more than to be in Josh’s arms. Than to belong to him completely.

As he gently led her through her open doorway to her bed, she expected to feel nervous. The sum of her experience with men was so small as to be negligible. But she didn’t feel anxious or afraid. She felt sure. This was what she wanted. It was going to happen anyway—their wedding was days away and Josh had been clear that he wanted children. But it felt right to Caroline that she wasn’t going to make love to Josh because it was part of her agreement. She was doing it because she loved him.

“I kind of wish I’d left the door now. I keep expecting that any minute, someone will wander into your house and ruin this.” His smile was cheeky, but his gaze was hot and seductive. It made her quiver.

“You’re the only one with a key.”

He traced a finger down her cheek. “Are you sure about this? I can wait.” He paused. “If I have to.”

She smiled. Poor, suffering man.
Yeah, right
. “I’m sure. I want this.”

“Last chance to change your mind,” he teased.

“You can’t get out of it that easily.”

His eyes darkened with a passion that smouldered. “I don’t want out, baby.”

With one step, he closed the distance between them. His fingers wound around the back of her neck. He angled her head. And then his mouth plundered hers. She hooked her hands into his jeans and hung on tightly. The room swayed around her. His scent, masculine and spicy, filled her senses. He tasted like a cross between chocolate and coffee. For someone who never liked coffee, it could make a convert out of her. She pushed herself up on tiptoes to get closer. Josh’s palm flattened at the small of her back, crushing her against him.

After an eternity, his mouth left hers. They were both panting. Out of breath from passion and need.

“Turn around.” His hands were on her hips, turning her before the words had left his mouth.

Caroline was unsteady as she put her back to him. Softly, he swept her hair away from her neck, and she heard the zip of her dress as it slowly lowered. All of her clothes were at the castle waiting to be burned. All she had was this dress and the lavender lace lingerie set beneath it.

“So soft,” he whispered.

He trailed his lips down her neck and across her shoulder, before returning to her spine. She heard him lower to his knees as he slowly removed her dress. His kisses followed the path of the dress until it crumpled at her feet on the floor.

“Beautiful.” His hands gripped her hips as he swirled his tongue in the small of her back.

Caroline’s eyes fluttered shut as she swayed in place. What was he doing to her? How was it possible that a kiss on her back made her insides tilt? His strong hands turned her.

He groaned at the sight of her. “We need to get you more lingerie.” He smiled up at her. Making her painfully aware that his mouth was level with her breasts. And she knew exactly how good that mouth felt on her. “When we’re at home in the castle, you should only ever wear lingerie and nothing else.”

Before she could answer, he leaned forward and sucked a nipple into his mouth, right through the lace of her bra. She gasped. Her hands flew to his head. Her fingers tangled in his hair.

“Delicious.” The word was a rumble against her skin that sent tingles to her core.

Caroline clutched him, like an anchor in a storm, as Josh kissed and bit and sucked. Her mind soared. Nothing existed except the sensation of Josh’s touch. Gasps and moans punctuated the air. Her head fell back as her knees weakened. Josh’s hand caressed its way up her back, and she felt the clasp of her bra give way. A second later, the bra was gone. His breath was hot against her skin.

“You are perfect.” He sucked her into his mouth so hard that it made her scream. Her knees gave way. Josh caught her and placed her on the bed. Her hips rested on the edge, her legs dangling over the end. All thought was lost in the fog of desire that had overtaken her mind. Before she could catch her breath, Josh had stripped her of her underwear. He pushed her knees apart. Caroline struggled to think through what he was doing. Her brain wasn’t fast enough. His mouth was on her before she figured it out. And then all thought was gone. All she was aware of was his tongue tasting her. Teasing her. Touching her.

Caroline felt pressure tingle and build within her stomach. Her breath came in desperate pants. She clawed at the bedspread beneath her. Unconsciously, she pushed closer to his wicked, wicked lips.

“Josh,” she moaned.

He didn’t answer. Instead he growled against her, sending vibrations throughout her body.

“Josh!”

Her head spun. Or maybe it was the room.

“Baby,” he rumbled. “So good.”

Her toes curled. Her thighs tensed. Her head arched back. And she was flying. A word fought its way from her throat. A long, aching moan of a word. “Josh.”

As she slowly came back to herself, she felt Josh crawl over her body. He moved her boneless body further up the bed. Her limbs were too heavy to help. She was at his mercy.

Josh nibbled his way up her throat until his mouth met hers. His kiss was deep and sensual. Caroline curled her arms around his neck and hooked a leg over his thigh. Bare flesh met bare flesh. At some point Josh had taken off his jeans. Caroline’s heart pounded so loudly at the thought of a naked Josh. Part of her wanted to push him back and look her fill. But she couldn’t. She was lost in the weight of his body against hers. The sensation of firm muscles rippling over her softer form. She clasped her hands tightly around his upper arms. His biceps tensed. The power in his muscles made her body shudder.

“I’ll go slow, baby,” he whispered against her lips. “Tell me if you need to stop.”

It wasn’t until she felt him press against her that she realised what he meant. She held her breath as Josh slowly, steadily filled her.

“You are perfect. You feel so good.”

Caroline arched up into him. At last, he settled his frame flush against her. His fingers stroked her face. Caroline’s gaze met his. The blue had been swallowed by black. Her internal muscles clenched at the sight, making him groan. It was wonderful. Nothing had ever felt so right to her. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that she’d fallen in love with him. Only the certainty that anything romantic would ruin the moment made her stop. Josh didn’t want romance.

But he did want her.

“Are you okay?” He placed a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth.

“Amazing. I never knew…” She let out a shuddering sigh. “It’s amazing.”

He smiled against her mouth. “It’s about to get better.”

She wasn’t sure it could get better. And then his hips started to move. Every nerve in her body came alive in the same instant. Her world narrowed to only Josh. There was nothing else in the cocoon they had made. His musky scent filled her senses. His strength surrounded her. Everything within her began to climb. She was losing her sense of self. Josh and Caroline didn’t exist anymore. They weren’t two. They were one.

“Faster.” Caroline ordered.

“Bossy.” He chuckled tightly. “I should have known you would be bossy here too.”

Caroline slammed her hips up into him. He groaned, and it was her turn to smile. Josh moved faster. Deeper. Caroline lost her place entirely. She clawed at him. Her senses were overloaded. There was too much to feel, to hear, to touch. It was a tsunami of sensation, swallowing her whole.

“Josh. Josh.” His name was a chant. A desperate, pleading chant.

She felt him tense above her as lights flickered in front of her eyes. Her muscles clenched. She sucked in a breath. Her heart stuttered. Every muscle spasmed. A long, desperate moan. Everything within her crashed to a halt. Time stopped. A beat. Two. And then she gasped for air. Her fingers tingled. Her heart started to thud again, loudly. Her muscles became jelly. Josh fell to her side. His fingers threaded through her hair as he nuzzled her throat.

“Are you okay?”

Caroline let out a sigh. “Better than okay.”

“Good.” He kissed her gently, making her tremble.

He pushed back from her and searched her eyes. Seeking confirmation that she was okay with things. A slow smile lit his face. He rolled onto his back and pulled her into his side, tucking her tight against him. Caroline listened to his rushing heartbeat as it slowed to normal. She traced lazy circles on his abdomen. For the first time since she’d agreed to marry Josh, she questioned the wisdom of her decision. She was in love with the man. But he didn’t want that. No. He wanted a solid commitment without romantic love. He wanted the kind of love that good friends shared. Her heart stuttered within her. What if Josh never felt anything more for her than he did right now? Would she be able to live with that? Knowing that the man she was madly, desperately in love with only felt affection for her?

She tried to tell herself to be practical. To stop wanting more than she already had. Goodness knows, what Josh offered her was far more than she ever expected she’d have. But still. A tiny, niggling part of her wondered if she would live a lifetime heartbroken that the man she married didn’t love her the way she loved him.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Andrew McInnes was as nervous as a boy on his first date. He’d spent the past few days in Glasgow being fitted for the all-important suit. He’d visited a sex shop. It wasn’t what he’d expected. He’d thought he’d have to skulk through an unmarked door and buy things in brown paper bags. Instead, the vast front window was full of kinky lingerie and there were women serving behind the counter.

He’d been embarrassed at first, especially as he had no idea what to buy—except handcuffs, that is. Eventually, one of the women had taken pity on him and offered to help. He’d explained that he was trying to seduce his wife of thirty-five years. Then he’d explained his theory on what women wanted. She seemed impressed with the amount of research he’d done on the topic. Twenty minutes later, he’d left the shop armed with a beginner’s kit for kinky sex. He hadn’t known such a thing existed, but it did. It was all boxed up in a pink candy-striped package.

Bewildered, Andrew had spent the rest of his time in Glasgow getting a haircut and buying chocolate. If all else failed, he’d ply Helen with the biggest damn box of gourmet chocolates that money could buy.

He didn’t even want to think what he would do if the chocolate didn’t do the trick.

Now it was Friday and he was back in Invertary. The town was full of reporters, and Josh was holed up in Caroline’s house until the wedding. Which meant Helen was in the castle. Alone.

As Andrew stood outside the castle door, he reminded himself of what women wanted. Domineering guy in a suit? He looked down at himself. Check. Over-the-top romantic gestures? He eyed the pamphlet tucked into his pocket. Check. Kinky sex? He flexed his grasp on the bag full of purchases from the sex shop. Check. He took a deep breath. This was as good as it got.

Then he rang the doorbell.

Nerves assaulted him. His palms were wet. His mouth was dry. Damn it all to hell. This was too much for a sixty-seven-year-old heart to handle. He was going to have a stroke right here on the doorstep. Helen would open the door, look out over his prone dead body and wonder why she’d ever married him.
Breathe. Damn it. Breathe.

He was on the verge of running when the door swung open.

Helen was wearing the yellow flowered sundress that was so pretty on her. Her feet were bare and her makeup had worn off some during the day. She was stunning. Her mouth opened and shut a couple of times as her wide eyes travelled the length of him. A flush hit her cheeks, and Andrew couldn’t help but puff out his chest with pride. He might be old, but he still had it going on.

“Andrew? What do you—”

He didn’t let her finish. In two long strides, he grabbed her round the waist, clutched the back of her head and pressed his mouth to hers. Operation Win Helen Back had officially started. And damn, but it felt good to have his wife in his arms again.

She smelled of peppermint and lilacs. A smell that was unique to her and made his heart shudder. Whether she liked it or not, she belonged to him. She’d always belonged to him. He might have been lax in showing it, but Helen was the only woman he had ever loved. The only one he
would
ever love. And he was never letting her go.